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PETA Honors Massachusetts State Police K9 Killed In Fitchburg Standoff PETA Honors Massachusetts State Police K9 Killed In Fitchburg Standoff
PETA Honors Massachusetts State Police K9 Killed In Fitchburg Standoff Animal rights group PETA said it would honor Frankie, the Massachusetts State Police dog killed in the line of duty last month.  Frankie was fatally shot during a stand-off with a 38-year-old wanted man in Fitchburg on July 26. Matthew Mack barricaded himself inside his apartment and refused to come outside despite pleas from his family and police negotiators. When talks broke down, officials sent Frankie and his handler, Trooper David Stucenski, in to try and arrest Mack. But he saw them as they approached the back door and fired several shots. Police rushed him to an emergency veterinaria…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Sports Betting Now Legal In Massachusetts After Gov. Baker Signs Bill Sports Betting Now Legal In Massachusetts After Gov. Baker Signs Bill
Sports Betting Now Legal In Massachusetts After Gov. Baker Signs Bill Massachusetts is now the 31st state to legalize sports betting after Gov. Charlie Baker signed the measure into law on Wednesday, Aug. 10. For years, gamblers have driven to New Hampshire and Rhode Island to place their bets. This move ensures that tax money will stay in the Bay State.   Though, you'll have to hold on to your money for the time being. Baker said in a statement that it would take a few months for the state implements the new law.  "Our administration first filed legislation to legalize sports wagering in the Commonwealth several years ago, and I am glad to be able to sign t…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
COVID-19: Restrictions At Casinos Lifted By Mass Gaming Commission COVID-19: Restrictions At Casinos Lifted By Mass Gaming Commission
Covid-19: Restrictions At Casinos Lifted By Mass Gaming Commission The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has voted to lift COVID-19 restrictions at the state’s casinos. As of Saturday, May 29, Massachusetts casinos will be back to gaming full-time following Gov. Charlie Baker’s recent orders to rescind limitations that were placed on businesses. Related story - COVID-19: Massachusetts Announces Date It Will Start New CDC Mask Guidance The commission's ruling will still require casino operators to follow all state and CDC-issued COVID-19 guidance. Baker previously announced that nearly all COVID-19 restrictions were being lifted from Massachusetts busines…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Curbside Pickup Options Skyrocket At Holyoke Mall As Restaurants, Retailers Expand Service Curbside Pickup Options Skyrocket At Holyoke Mall As Restaurants, Retailers Expand Service
Curbside Pickup Options Skyrocket At Holyoke Mall As Restaurants, Retailers Expand Service After not being available for take-out during the pandemic, many Holyoke Mall restaurants and some retailers are now offering curbside pickup. The change reflects a shift as, statewide, Massachusetts reduces economic restrictions intended to stop the spread of COVID-19. On Monday, Jan. 25, Gov. Charlie Baker ended the state’s 9:30/10 p.m. business curfew and stay-home advisory. While there were some restaurants and retailers offering curbside pickup during the pandemic, the number of Holyoke Mall places providing this service has skyrocketed. Among the mall restaurants now offering curbsi…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Number Of Red Communities Triples In Central, Western Massachusetts COVID-19: Number Of Red Communities Triples In Central, Western Massachusetts
Covid-19: Number Of Red Communities Triples In Central, Western Massachusetts The number of COVID-19 “red” communities has tripled in Central and Western Massachusetts since last week, according to the most recent state data, Thursday, Nov. 12. Last week, Nov. 6, there were 3 - Fitchburg, Ludlow, and Springfield. Now there are 9 - Chicopee, Clinton, Fitchburg, Holyoke, Leominster, Milford, Springfield, Uxbridge, and West Springfield. In a bit of good news, the COVID-19 rate in Ludlow dropped low enough to get the city removed from the red list. However, the rates in Fitchburg and Springfield went up. Massachusetts has changed the system for local COVID-19 rates…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
DELAY: Town-By-Town COVID-19 Data For Massachusetts This Week DELAY: Town-By-Town COVID-19 Data For Massachusetts This Week
Delay: Town-By-Town Covid-19 Data For Massachusetts This Week Massachusets rolled out with far less information than usual about which cities and towns have the highest COVID-19 rate. As in, there was no town or city-level data in the weekly document that comes out on Thursdays. The new map with municipal-level COVID-19 rates is expected to be out today Friday, Nov. 6. The most recent report was issued Thursday, Nov. 5 and the closest thing to a community-level breakdown of COVID-19 rates is a list of how the counties are doing. So, local positive COVID-19 incidents reported per 100,000 people over a two-week average are: Hampden County - 20.4 …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect COVID-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect
Covid-19: Massachusetts Statewide Curfew Going Into Effect Massachusetts will launch a statewide curfew starting Friday, Nov. 6 in an effort to tamp down on the spread of COVID-19. The news comes amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across Massachusetts but concentrated in the eastern part of the state. Reports of 1,000 new COVID-19 cases each day have become common in the last week. Gov. Charlie Baker announced the plan on Monday, Nov. 2. The new stay-at-home advisory will take effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Restaurants should stop table service at 9:30 p.m., under the governor’s orders, according to MassLive. The curfew advisory will go into effect at …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
1,000 MA National Guard Troops Activated Ahead Of Protests 1,000 MA National Guard Troops Activated Ahead Of Protests
1,000 MA National Guard Troops Activated Ahead Of Protests Gov. Charlie Baker has activated up to 1,000 National Guards in preparation to address social unrest. On Thursday, Sept. 24, Baker signed an order activating the troops and the Kentucky justice system cleared the officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s killing of all but one reckless endangerment charge. Baker activated the National Guard a month ago in response to protests in support of Taylor, too. The Guard will be deployed to maintain people’s rights to free speech and to assemble peacefully. The troops will only be deployed in communities that seek their assistance, a spokesperson for …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19 Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County (Aug.) COVID-19 Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County (Aug.)
Covid-19 Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County (Aug.) South Hadley had another tough week of rising COVID-19 infections, while Granby is no longer deemed a “high risk” community by the state. Many Hampshire County communities saw reductions in the rate of COVID-19 infections. Rates in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, and Northampton had significantly fewer new infections compared to last week. The 14-day positive COVID-19 test rate in South Hadley was 3 percent last week - now it’s 3.7 percent, according to the most recent information from the Baker Administration. The infection rate in Ware also went up from 0.6 on Aug. 12, to 0.8 Aug. 19…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, Aug. COVID-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, Aug.
Covid-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, Aug. South Hadley’s positive COVID-19 infection test rate shot up a whole percentage point since last week - a dramatic gain, according to the most recent information from the Baker Administration. The 14-day positive COVID-19 test rate in South Hadley since July 22, when the rate was 0.6 percent - now it’s 3 percent. Chesterfield looks like it has had a spike in positive test rates, but there are still fewer than 5 townspeople who have contracted COVID-19 since January. Positive test rates have gone down in Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Hatfield, and a little bit in Northampton. The rate…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, August COVID-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, August
Covid-19: Where Are The Hot Spots? Town Infection Rates, Trends - Hampshire County, August Positive COVID-19 test rates in Amherst, Easthampton, Granby, Northampton, South Hadley, and Williamsburg are at the highest they’ve been over the last four weeks, according to new state data. Meanwhile, Belchertown’s 14-day COVID-19 positive test rate is going down. The rate went from 3.6 percent to 2.7 percent in one week. In Massachusetts, the goal is that by December the state will have less than 5 percent of COVID-19 tests come back positive. On Friday, Aug. 7, Gov. Charlie Baker reported the state’s 7-day positive test rate was at 1.8 percent, down from 2.2 percent just a week ago. (…

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by Kristin Palpini
Police & Fire
Scape Goat? Holyoke Soldiers' Home Super Pushes Back Against Blame For Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak Scape Goat? Holyoke Soldiers' Home Super Pushes Back Against Blame For Deadly COVID-19 Outbreak
Scape Goat? Holyoke Soldiers' Home Super Pushes Back Against Blame For Deadly Covid-19 Outbreak The Superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home - where a major COVID-19 outbreak led to 76 veteran deaths and more than 80 additional infections - is pushing back against the assertion that his mismanagement led to the tragedy. On Thursday, July 23, attorney William Bennet held a press conference to redress critiques of his client, Superintendent Bennett Walsh, and poke holes in the state’s report on the Soldiers’ Home’s response to the pandemic. As head of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, Walsh has largely been blamed for the deadly fiasco, Gov. Charlie Baker put him on administrative leave …

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampshire County COVID-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampshire County
Covid-19, Where Are The Hot Spots? Town-by-town Infection Rates And Trends - Hampshire County Positive tests for COVID-19 continue to stay under 2 percent in Massachusetts. Massachusetts' seven-day positive test rate for COVID-19 has been below 2 percent since the beginning of July. On Friday, July 17, Gov. Charlie Baker said the positive rate for the past seven days is 1.7 percent. Meanwhile, in Hampshire County, Chesterfield is the only community with a 14-day positive test rate of over 2 percent - the town's rate is 6.7 percent. The state economy is now in Phase 3 of a four-phase reopening plan. The fourth phase - which would see the reopening of business such as amusement parks…

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by Kristin Palpini